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Tehran is willing to restart atomic negotiations with Washington on condition that it is treated with "respect" and "honor", Iran's foreign minister has announced.

The Iranian diplomat stated exclusively dialogue worked, and shared fresh requests had been made by go-betweens to resume negotiations with the US government. He asserted Iran possessed no secret atomic facilities, and Iran was not yet able to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to visit attacked atomic facilities for security reasons.

Walking a Challenging Course

Araghchi is walking a difficult route since Iran wishes not to be perceived to be acting from a situation of disadvantage, and he insisted repeatedly that Iran had come out stronger militarily and emotionally from the coordinated strike on its enrichment centers in June.

He was talking at a security conference in Tehran where he reaffirmed that Iran had "an inalienable right to enrich uranium on home soil that it will always maintain" – the key factor of the impasse in the earlier negotiations.

Earlier Discussions Suddenly Concluded

The earlier sessions of discussions between the United States and Iran were ended suddenly and bitter end on 12 June when Israel, with Washington's assistance, struck Tehran's atomic facilities in a two-week conflict that concluded with the American leader declaring the facilities had been destroyed. Afterward, EU nations used their privilege to reimpose international penalties, but Iran insists they have not had a major impact.

Perfect Agreement Suggested

Iranian officials claimed they felt they had achieved a "perfect agreement" to the enrichment issue in earlier negotiations, when it was decided an Iran-based consortium with American involvement could process nuclear material. Each party would have been able to claim victory since home-based processing would have continued and the US could be certain that Iran's nuclear programme was solely for peaceful purposes.

It had not been agreed in the discussions that US nuclear scientists could function within Iranian territory, but that was a reasonable assumption of the consortium proposal. Diplomats stated repeatedly they had reached agreement with Washington's diplomat the American negotiator only for the deal to disintegrate due to "detractors in America".

Existing Situation

Iran's diplomats stated the consortium offer was now off the table, but it seems very probable the suggestion could be revived in some form if negotiations resume.

The American leader in recent days stated he had been obtaining communications that Iran sought to restart talks, but confidentially Iranian officials say they are not yet receiving consistent overtures from Washington either directly or from significant local go-betweens, such as Qatar, the Egyptian leadership, the Omani authorities and Saudi Arabia. The Iran's state department has been charged of passivity in the aftermath of Washington's unmediated tactics, but Iran says dialogue is not part of a show.

Political Standpoint

In his remarks to the conference, aimed to portray the US as a dominant force that misuses the concept of worldwide standards, Araghchi stated the two-week conflict demonstrated the dispute could not be ended by military means. He asserted the assaults commenced with a US demand for an complete Tehran capitulation and concluded with an absolute demand for a truce.

Iran is convinced the opening assaults from Tel Aviv were mounted with total Washington understanding and coordination, making trust hard to reestablish.

Negotiations Continues the Primary Resolution

The foreign minister stated: "Tehran was not the one that had deserted diplomacy; it was the United States and the western countries that had consistently tried to impose their will during the talks. Diplomacy can still be alive and stays the ultimate solution to address disagreements, but its criteria, regulations and tenets must be adhered to."

"If they address to the citizens of Tehran with the tone of dignity and respect, they will obtain a response in the equivalent approach."

Repair and Rebuilding

In what is characterized by Iranian officials as the battle of recovery and rebuilding, the foreign minister said he was confident Iran's security strengths "are considerably enhanced than before 13 or 14 June of this year. Every aspect of our defense have been rebuilt. We gained numerous insights from this engagement; we have identified our internal vulnerabilities and the vulnerabilities of the opponent."

He added: "We successfully passed this war. Our enrichment knowledge, which they intended to destroy, stays intact. The facilities and gear, if destroyed, will be rebuilt; what is crucial is the will of the nation of Iran and then the social solidarity that they aimed at, but did not succeed to destroy. The Iranian people have developed stronger, more cohesive, and more backing of the leadership and the state in the aftermath of this attack."